Lamp socket having a resiliently mounted contact



Dec. 29, 1953 c, HALL 2,664,548

LAMP SOCKET HAVING A RESILIENTLY MOUNTED CONTACT Filed April 15, 1950'\NvEN-roR: CHARLES L. HALL,

ATTORNEY. V

Patentecl Dec. 29, 1953 STATES PATE NT OFFICE.

Application pr-i1 13, 1950, Serial No. 155574 1 Claim. (01. sea-6o) Thisinvention relates to lamp sockets, and more particularly toimprovementsin the construction and arrangement of water-proof and dust proof lampsockets such as are generally used for automobile and like types of'lighting.

' A primary object of the invention is the provision of a water-proofand dust-proof lamp socket of simple and economical construction whichmaybe readily applied to an apertured {support by a simple push-inaction.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simplified form ofwater-proof and dustproof lamp socket which may be assembled by themanufacturer and shipped to the user as a unit.

I A further and more specific object of the in- 'vention is theprovision of 'a molded rubber insert for a lamp socket which willcompletely seal the socket against water and dust and which will mountand support a contact element in pressure engagement with a lampdisposed in said socket; thereby eliminating the need for a moldedplunger and coil spring construction usually required in sockets of thisgeneral type.

These'and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentto person skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from aconsideration of' the accompanying drawings and annexed specificationillustrating and describin apreferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a lamp socketembodying the invention applied to a support, the latter being shown insection;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the socket assembly; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly taken on the line 3-3of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is illustrated as embodied in alamp socket assembly I of the push-in type adapted for snap fastenerengagement with a support 2 having an aperture 3 therein. The support 2may be a portion of the fender, body or other part of an automobilenormally exposed to water, mud, dust and the like, and the socketassembly of the invention is designed to prevent passage of such material thereinto or through the support aperture when the device isassembled therein.

The socket assembly I desirably comprises a socket member 4, attachingmeans 5 and a novel type of molded insert 6 which may be formed andassembled into a unitary device by the manufacturer, thereby decreasingthe number of parts which have to be handled and assembled by the user.

The socket member4 ispreferably made of thin sheet material, such assheet metal, and may de'- sirably comprise a substantially cylindricalor tubularbody portion 1. having an open end 8 in which a lamp of theusual type is designed-to be seated. Cut-outs or pressed-out keyways orJ-slots 9 may be provided in the walls of the tubular body portion 1 forthe reception of the usual pins or projections of a lamp base. v

Adjacent its opposite end, the body portion 1 is formed with an annulargroove I0 pressed outwardly therein and adapted to seat a cooperat ingbead on the molded insert 6. as will be more apparent hereinafter. Aflange II extendsin- Wardly at the end of the body portion land preferably has theinner edges thereof curled out wardly, as shown at I2, toprovide a central open ing I3 for the passage or" a conducting wire I4.

At its open end the socket membed [is provided with a flangedbase'portion I5 which ex+ tends outwardly from the body portion 1 substantially at right angles thereto and on which the attaching means 5 issecured. j

The attaching means 5 may desirably comprise a ring-shaped member I6provided with outwardly extending support-engaging spring fin gers IT.The member I6 rests against the flanged base portion I5 and is retainedin assembled relation'therewith by curling. the peripheral edges of theportion I6 outwardly over and around the member I 6 as shown at I8. Thespring fingers I1 are adapted for snap fastener engagement with theedges of a support aperture 3 and for this purpose may be provided withdiverging-converging portions 20 and 2| as is usual in the art.

In accordance with the invention the molded insert 6 is constructed andarranged to seal the socket assembly against water, dust and the likeand to serve as a centering and supporting means for the usual contactelement, thereby eliminating the need for centering washers, springs andthe like required in prior art devices of this general type.

The insert 6 may advantageously be made of a resilient or elasticmaterial, such as rubber, and formed into the desired shape by suitablemolding or other techniques. For most satisfactory results I prefer touse a heat-resistant type rubber, such for example as silicone rubber.

In a preferred construction the insert 6 may comprise a generallycup-shaped member having a substantially tubular or sleeve-like thinwalled portion 22 adapted to fit within the body portion 1 of the socketmember 4, and a connecting base portion 23 adapted to rest against theend flange II of the socket member 4. This pro- 3 "vides a hollow insertof resilient or elastic material which may readily be assembled intosnug engagement with the walls of the body portion i. The sleeve-likeportion 22 is designed to snugly receive a lamp base of usualconstruction and is provided with cut-outs 24 so that the pins orprojections on such a base may have locking engagement with the J-slots9.

At its free outer end the sleeve-like portion 22 is provided with alaterally extending flanged lip 25 adapted for sealing engagement withthe flanged base portion l5 of the socket member 4 as shown moreparticularly in Fig. 3.

At the base end thereof the cup-shaped insert 6 is provided with anannular bead or flange 26 which nests in the annular bulge or groove 10of the socket member 4. This assists in holding the insert in place inthe socket and in forming a sealed joint therebetween.

In addition to its function of sealing an end of the socket member 4 thebase portion 23 is designed to sealingly receive the conducting wire I dand to support the contact element or rivet 21, connected therewith, inproper centered position to resiliently engage a cooperating contact ona lamp base positioned in the socket. For this purpose the base portion23 is suitably apertured, as shown at 28 and 29 to snugly receive thewire 14 and base portion 30 of the contact rivet 21, and is formed withan annular cut-out 3|, providing a projecting knob or collar portion 32.The portion 32 extends longitudinally inwardly within the sleeve-likeportion 22 to an extent such that the contact rivet 21, supportedthereby, will engage a lamp base before it is completely seated in thesocket. By virtue of the annular cut-out 3|, which may be varied asdesired, the portion 32 will have the desired resiliency and springaction needed to hold the contact rivet in pressure engagement with alamp base and in addition the annular cut-out will result in a saving ofrubber.

It will thus be apparent that the present invention provides an improvedwater-proof and dust-proof socket of simple and economical construction,which may be assembled by the manufacturer and shipped as a unit to theuser. The user merely inserts the conducting wire, contact rivet andlamp and the device is then ready for mounting on a support, Variousassembling operations and the handling of springs, washers and the like,previously required, are eliminated, thus speeding up the operation anddecreasing the cost thereof.

Although I hav illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, I do not intend to be limited to the specific details thereofas the scope of the invention is best defined in the following claim.

I claim:

A lamp socketcomprising: a tubular casing of rigid conducting materialhaving an open lamp base receiving end and an apertured wire receivingend; an insert of resilient insulating material having a tubular portionin fitted sealing engagement within said tubular casing to providesealing engagement with a lamp base to be disposed therein, a studportion disposed within said tubular portion in concentric spacedrelation and an annular connecting portion integrally joining said studportion and said tubular portion adjacent the apertured wire receivingend of said casing, said stud portion extending for a portion of thelength of said casing; and a contact member supported by said studportion centrally within said casing and said tubular portion and havinga connecting lead extending through said stud portion and said aperturedwire receiving end, said casing having opposed lamp base engagingportions; said tubular portion of said insert having apertures onopposite sides to permit the opposed prongs of a bayonettype lamp baseto engage said opposed lamp base engaging portions, said insert and saidcasing having co-operating annular rib and annular groove portions.

CHARLES L. HALL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,015,418 Wermine Sept. 24, 1935 2,099,405 Langdon Nov. 16,1937 2,125,843 Hall Aug. 2, 1938 2,165,193 Wilbur et a1 Jul 4, 1.9392,195,189 Sauer Mar. 26, 1940

